Zac Efron ‘hugely honoured’ Matthew Perry wanted him to play him in biopic

Zac Efron said he feels 'hugely honoured' to hear that Matthew Perry said he was the frontrunner for a future biopic on his life.

The duo have already done this dance in 17 Again - but the late Friends star wanted to rope him in for round two because he did 'such a good job'.

Efron, 36, discussed the possibility of taking on the role while paying tribute to the actor at the premiere for his new film Iron Claw in Dallas, Texas.

Discussion surrounding about a biopic on Perry's life has hit the headlines again since his sudden passing on 28 October.

He was found dead in his hot tub at his home in Los Angeles and was laid to rest in a private ceremony on 3 November.

Efron said he was 'still devastated by the fact that he is gone' when asked about how he was dealing with the loss of his former co-star.

Perry had previously described the High School Musical legend as the 'dream younger version' of himself to cast in a movie.

Efron was overwhelmed to hear that the actor held him in such high regard.

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He told People: "I'm honoured to hear he was thinking of me to play him. We'll see. I'd be honoured to do it.

"He was a mentor to me, and we made a really cool film together. I looked up to him, I learned comedic timing from that guy.

"I mean, when we were filming 17 Again, it was so surreal for me to look across and have him be there, because I've learned so much from him, from his whole life."

Perry's pal Athenna Crosby - who spent the day with him before his death - revealed that he had been keen to make a movie about his incredible life and have a biopic made.

Omar Vega/Getty Images

She added that he 'wanted Zac Efron, who's played him already, to play him again because he said he did such a good job'.

Perry previously said that Efron had declined an offer to star in a romcom that he had wrote.

"Well, it was Zac Efron. But he said no. So, we've got to find someone who says yes," he told SiriusXM.

The Birds of America actor also revealed he had planned to give Aubrey Plaza the role of the female lead in his film, saying she 'almost did it'.

He added: "That would have been perfect because I think she's great. There's some dramatic stuff in this too. She came very close, and it would have been perfect."

Topics: Zac Efron, Matthew Perry, TV and Film, Celebrity

Olivia Burke

Olivia is a journalist at LADbible Group with more than five years of experience and has worked for a number of top publishers, including News UK. She also enjoys writing food reviews (as well as the eating part). She is a stereotypical reality TV addict, but still finds time for a serious documentary.

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